Salt Tectonics Topics

Š Salt Deposition
Š Salt Movement
Š Diapir Structures
Š Imaging
Š Link to faulting

Composition of Salt Domes Salt Deposition

Restricted marine basins
Š Mostly halite
Š Minor traces of gypsum or anhydrite
Š Often the two are interbedded and folded

Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah

Gypsum, Ca(SO4).2H20 Halite, NaCl

Salt moves driven by buoyancy Sequential Stages

of a Salt Diapir
•Salt density= 2 g/ cm3
•Salt undergoes no compaction
•Mechanically weak - viscous
•Shale Density is initially 40% water
•Initial Density = 1.8 g/ cm3
•Water expelled during compaction
• Final Density = 2.4 g/ cm3
 Salt at the Surface Salt Structures -Iran

Salt Glacier - Iran

Gulf of
Gulf of Mexico Mexico
Salt

Variety of Salt Structures

Internal flow of salt

Jackson et al. 1990

 Detection of Salt Domes
Gravity
Š Gravity surveys
• Find gravity lows
• Low density
Š Seismic Imaging

GM-SYS™ Profile model of salt structure

integrating seismic reflection, FTG gravity, and
magnetic data (EarthExplorer, 2009).

Seismic Image of a Salt Dome

Geosoft GmsYs-3D model of a salt body embedded in a 3D

density volume (Earth Explorer, 2009)_

3D Seismic Interpretation of Salt Sandbox Experiment

Relationship between salt dome and normal faulting
Structures http://www.beg.utexas.edu/indassoc/agl/animations/AGL95-MM-001/index.html

GUGLIELMO, G., Jr., , B. C. VENDEVILLE, D. D. SCHULTZ-ELA, and M. P. A. JACKSON

Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin,
 Extension Above Salt Diapir Salt Structures vs. Tectonic
Structures
•Caused by movement of salt, not by plate boundary
stresses
•Often linked to sedimentation
•Often localized by tectonic structures
•Both upwards movement of salt and salt withdrawal
cause deformation

Salt movement affects sediment thickness

Salt in the North Sea

Salt Traps Salt is the best seal

Š Examples of Petroleum Salt Provinces
• Gulf of Mexico
• North Sea
• Middle East

Zagros Mts., Iran La Popa Basin, Mexico

 Ekofisk Field Ekofisk Formation
E
analog W
Late Cretaceous
ƒ Shallow Sea
ƒ Continued regional
subsidence
ƒ Rising sea level
ƒ Active phytoplankton
growth

Van der Bark & Thomas, 1980

Late Cretaceous: Ekofisk Formation

Danish North Sea
Time
Salt Domes Pierce the Strata

CI = 30ms
8km

Crestal Deformation Fractures around Salt Domes

Ant-Tracking
displaying radial
fracture pattern
around salt domes

8km
Fossen, 2010
 Salt in Compressional Province Salt in Extensional province

Gulf of Mexico

Salt is an excellent detachment surface